Friday night was perfect for hopping around Little Italy, particularly to the packed houses of
Igloo and
Subtext, where we enjoyed the parties while gazing at all the cool stuff lining the walls, shelves and racks.
It would be expected that Igloo's meltdown sale and closing party might set a somber tone for the evening. But, while perusing the prints, t-shirts and other accessories was bittersweet, spirits seemed high as friends, neighbors and patrons gathered together to celebrate the store in its final weekend. Perhaps there's some cheer in knowing that the
online shop is up and running, where you can continue to purchase design objects for you and your home to wear.
After Igloo, it was on to
Release the Kraken! The opening of Subtext's 5th anniversary exhibit was abuzz with people squeezing through the crowd downstairs for a closer look at truly fun paintings, getting their catalogs autographed, having their photos taken, chatting away upstairs, watching The Makeup Sex perform, and braving the long line for MIHO Gastrotruck.
Release the Kracken!
Subtext celebrated their big anniversary after spending the past year gathering vintage, aquatic-themed paintings from around the country and having artists "Kraken-ize" them by adding their own sea creatures, often the monstrous kind. This kitschy idea bred a fantastic show – rarely do painting showcases induce so much laughter. Everyone viewing the work was smiling, and though the art was fixed to the wall, the Kraken-izing stamped it all with a lively sense of dialog between the original and editing artists that made it feel almost interactive.
Kelly Vivanco's Krakminton and
Matt Stallings' Invasion are among some of the most vibrant works.
Exist 1981's Fame Monster strikes a lighthearted jab at today's most recognized street artists, and fire-breathing sea monsters set a sailboat ablaze in
Kaizen Collective's Saturday Morning Monster, a painting framed by another painting of a retro TV in what seems a cute, yet menacing comment on how we spend our leisure time. And
Summertime, by
Pamela Jaeger, makes having a Kraken for a pet look very appealing.
Perusing the sold out Release the Kraken catalog. Photo by Max Dolberg.
Release the Kraken's hardcover catalog of before-and-after spreads immediately sold out, and artists could be seen doodling and writing in people's books. Which signals that this is a show not to miss. The exhibit is up for the next month, closing on September 11th, which seems a fitting day to forge ahead and prepare to take the monsters, with all of their edits to the old scenery, down from the wall.
Pamela Jaeger's Summertime